Life In London or Something New Take 2
by JudgeTenderlyofMe
Summary: Updated version of my story "Something New". Following the series finale, what exactly happened between our two favorite characters Betty and Daniel? In my version of a "Season 5" Daniel takes Betty up on her offer of a job as her assistant. Does this new dynamic work, or just create more problems? Will a drunken kiss change everything for them? Let's find out... R&R Please! Detty!
1. Chapter 1

**Life in London or Something New Redux Chapter 1**

** Forgive me dear reader for this introduction before we start our story, but I wanted to let you know that this story is essentially an updated version of my first Ugly Betty fanfiction called "Something New". I wanted to rewrite certain parts and add scenes that I felt were missing in the original version and do my best to do this wonderful show and characters justice, with creative license of course. With the untimely passing of the show's creator Silvio Horta, it is unfortunately very unlikely that we will ever see an official update for these characters, and we will have to satisfy ourselves with writing our own version. As Silvio said, it is up to the viewer to decide what happened after the curtains closed and we saw the "Ugly" fade away, the possibilities are endless. With that in mind, I decided in order to practice my writing skills and sharpen those tools as well as let out my more frivolous creative side that I would take the time to do this story right and give it a real finish that I would have loved to see on the screen. So if you're reading this after having read that original story you'll find much of it redundant, however this will begin before our original story did, and will most likely serve as the continuation and eventual finale. So if you're willing to go on this journey with me again or are reading for the first time I humbly welcome you to "Life in London" an Ugly Betty Detty fanfiction by yours truly. As always, I do not own the rights to this show or these characters except those created for this story. This is purely for entertainment and kicks. Please feel free to leave me a review! I love to hear from any readers who would take the time to let me know their thoughts. It encourages me and lets me know what you would like to read and see happen in this little story of mine. I hope you enjoy! Much love to you all.**

* * *

Betty couldn't believe it. Things had been moving at such a fast pace lately that it was hard to tell which way was right side up. Life in London certainly was exciting, and different, and terrifying in a way, but she met every single challenge head on. There were some issues at first, such as her flat not being ready and having to stay at the hotel for longer than she wanted to, but after the first month passed she was settled in and thriving. She had even begun to make friends, as well as connecting with old ones. Christina had already visited twice. She had even dared to go out on a date with a rather cute guy she met at the coffee shop near the hotel she had been staying at. She met him for a movie and it could have gone better to say the least. By the end of the night they decided they would not like to try it again. She had overthought it as usual and let her nerves and worries take over and laid it all out for him, the recent move, the stresses of the job, and after her second drink at the pub after the film (she had been determined to loosen up and relax) she ended up on the subject of Daniel and Mode and all the drama involved. By the time she realized how much she had told this relative stranger, the poor guy was completely freaked out, and that's when she pulled herself together and called it a night, apologizing profusely to the man.

She found a new coffee shop to frequent called Lawson's. It was near her new office so it worked out great, and she enjoyed talking to the owners, a lovely Scottish couple named Abigail and Jacob. They were a bit older than her, but something about them comforted Betty. After her disastrous first entrance to the place (coffee was spilled, pastries flew in the air, and a small child was immediately comforted by Betty) the clumsy American girl stole their hearts and before long the two women talked like they had known each other their whole lives. It helped to have a friend that didn't know anything about her past other than what she told them because it offered a fresh perspective for her, and Jacob was a sweet but quiet soul. She appreciated his calming presence, and found that for how much Abi liked to talk, it suited them for Jacob to remain the stoic gentle one. Betty liked them immensely.

Slowly she found her place within her new office. She had to do a little leg work to prove to them that this novice American actually knew what she was doing, and with Mr. Dunne's support she was able to rally the troops behind her after a few bumps in the road. Within a matter of a couple weeks she was well liked and more than that respected, simply because she showed them what she could do, and her obviously infectious radiant personality shined. She could win over almost anyone, without even really trying. It proved to be a valuable tool when asking someone ten years your senior to do a task for you. There was a definite learning curve, but she had mastered it quickly and now that she was just starting to reach her full stride in such a new place, the last thing she expected was to see Daniel Meade show up in Trafalgar Square as if he had been waiting for her, let alone for him to say he would be around for a while then ask her to dinner. _What does he want?_ She hated how harsh the thought was, she didn't dislike his being here, but despite his seemingly sound reasoning, it felt like there was a piece missing. The puzzle wasn't complete, but she couldn't find the missing piece.

When he called to figure out where they should go to dinner he sounded nervous to her, but she chose to ignore it. She suggested an Italian place she had discovered recently. It had a very relaxed and family friendly atmosphere. It was decidedly neutral, but it reminded her of the place they went that night they ran from the paparazzi, ate pizza, and sang karaoke. The memory made her smile. "_You're better than any Model"._ The words rang through her mind as she remembered the bridge afterwards. Suddenly her stomach flipped and she wasn't sure why. It was so subtle, but it was there. _What the hell was that?_ They decided to meet at his hotel at seven and go to dinner from there. When they hung up she found herself staring out her office windows, losing track of time. She blushed when she realized she has spent a solid fifteen minutes thinking about Daniel and everything they had been through. It seemed like years had passed since that phone call she made from her going away party, _"…you're not here..."_ she had told him on the voicemail, and she hadn't heard a word from him since he signed her release. Yet, here he was, in London of all places. What did that mean?

Of course she was happy to see her friend, but she was still very hurt by his actions. He had apologized in a way by admitting to her that he had been wrong, in only the way that he could by not actually saying the words "I'm sorry", but by joking with her to try and get back on her good side. She hated how quickly it worked, having even joked in return that he could be her assistant, although it wasn't the worst idea if he really was serious about sticking around. It could be a good way to get his footing before deciding what his next move would be. Seeing him in person had relieved some part of the pain she was feeling. Knowing he made that kind of effort, even if he did end up leaving soon, meant more to her than she cared to admit. As the work day came to a close she found herself becoming slightly nervous, but the reason why eluded her. This was Daniel, what did she have to be nervous about? She gathered her things and began the familiar trek to her new flat. She needed to change before meeting Daniel at his hotel. He had offered to come and pick her up, but she wanted to head home first.

She sent a quick message to Hilda and debated on telling her about Daniel, but decided to wait preferring to see what this evening would bring before being bombarded with questions from her sister she wouldn't know the answers to. She took a quick shower and pulled out a forest green dress with cap sleeves that wrapped around the bodice, and hugged her curves down to her knees. She liked it because it looked great, and the material made it look far more casual than the cut would usually be used for, but it was actually extremely comfortable, and as an added bonus was quite warm. She paired it with her black pumps, and a black handbag with gold details, and added a gold bracelet and matching necklace. She curled her hair into waves wearing it down, and finished off the look with neutral makeup, but added a pop of red lipstick just for fun. She smiled at herself in the mirror before putting on her coat and black beret. She locked the door behind her and pulled out her phone sending Daniel a quick text saying she was leaving and would be there soon. He quickly replied, and she thought he seemed excited because he used three exclamation points and added a smiley face. She laughed at that and put her phone away.

She found herself becoming more nervous the closer she came to the hotel. She didn't understand it. She couldn't help it, her heart rate was slowly increasing and she could feel the blush warming her cheeks, even her palms were becoming clammy. It didn't make sense. _Why am I so nervous? It's just Daniel!_

"Betty!" Daniel was waving to her from under the awning over the entrance to the hotel. He was wearing his long coat, but she could see underneath he had on a crisp white button up shirt, which he left slightly open at the neck, casual black slacks and black loafers. He had a red scarf draped around his neck, but his cheeks were blushing from the cold wind coming down the street. He was most definitely excited to see her. She couldn't help but smile at his exuberant welcome. When she finally reached him he wrapped her in a hug and she couldn't help but to melt into it, letting him hold her for a few seconds longer.

"Hi Daniel." She said as they let each other go.

"Hi. You look great!"

"Awe, thank you. So do you." She smiled at him, and he smiled down at her, the blush on his cheeks deepening slightly.

"Thank you."

"I gotta say, nice hotel." She tried to whistle, and felt very flustered. She felt like it was her first week at Mode again. Why did everything seem so difficult all of the sudden?

"Yeah, I guess." he shrugged and tried to sound cool, but he felt nervous too. He cleared his throat. "So are you ready to go?"

"Yeah! It's just a few minutes this way, we can walk there."

"Great! You said you've tried this place before? Any recommendations?"

"Yes, it's delicious. It's all really good, but I liked their lasagna the best."

"Mmm, that sounds good. Shall we?"

She took his offered arm and smiled up at him, "We shall."

They walked arm in arm down the street towards the little Italian place. Neither would admit how nervous they were to the other. This would be an interesting meal to say the least.

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**Well, what did you think? :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Daniel couldn't believe it. Did he really just do that? Did he really just hand over the reins to Mode to Wilhelmina, tell his mom that he was leaving, and hop on a plane to London? When he got home that evening after making his huge decision he had slapped himself once to make sure he wasn't dreaming and that he had really done what he thought he had. He stayed up all night writing his last letter from the editor, and hoped that anyone who read it would be able to guess his intentions, or at least anyone who knew him and Betty might be able to guess, but he hoped the news of it hadn't made its way across the pond. He needed to talk to her. He needed to see her. He had used the word love in his letter, and he knew that he loved Betty, but he still wasn't sure if what his mother had said was true. Did he have feelings for her? Real feelings? Did he see her as more than just a friend? Was he _in _love with her?

After Molly, Betty was the one who was there for him. He counted on her. He needed her. He never wanted to admit it, but he didn't know what to do with himself when she wasn't in his life. It wasn't until recently that he realized that his day began and ended with thoughts of her. It wasn't like she would be a rebound or anything either if she would have him, because he had dated a few women after Molly, but if he was being honest things had slowly started to change after that night she stayed with him instead of covering the UN shoot. When Matt had suggested that they had slept together all he felt was rage. It wasn't the idea of it that angered him; it was how Matt was speaking to her. How dare anyone treat her that way? Beyond that, all he wanted to do was protect her. He knew she was very capable of protecting herself, but he couldn't help it. He never told anyone, but he hated it when they got back together. He didn't think Matt deserved her. Daniel would do anything for her, and at Hilda and Bobby's wedding when he heard Hilda's speech about how love means knowing your partner better than they do, and how you would do anything in the world to protect them, he knew he was in some kind of trouble. Seeing Betty with Henry had ignited something within him he had never known himself to recognize feeling when it came to Betty, jealousy.

When he saw her with him with a kid in Henry's arms his gut sank at the thought of her choosing to be with him again, because she really would be going backwards, but even he had to admit he had gone too far by trying to keep them apart. He really could be like a five year old sometimes, acting like he was fighting over his favorite toy. When he felt that jealous rage, it was like he had an epiphany because he recognized the sensation and the pattern. He knew that what he hadn't been able to name that he was feeling when he saw her with Matt, Henry, or even that Zachary guy, was in fact jealousy. It was like he had just been smacked across the head. He hated that he acted this way when it came to her, but the more he thought about it and especially after that speech things started to click for him. What he said in his speech when Betty received her Blobby was true, he adored her. She made him happier. So when things finally started to click, and it felt like things were just starting to turn his way. It felt like things were just beginning.

When he found out she was leaving he was devastated, it was like his worst nightmare was coming true. He didn't want to lose her. When his mom suggested that he was having such a hard time with it because he might have feelings for her he denied it, but he couldn't deny it was at least partially true. He couldn't live without her that had to mean something right? Then she decided to leave anyway and he knew he couldn't hold her back. It'd be like caging a bird, and he could never do that to her. Then she left. He knew what he had to do.

He took a couple days to settle everything and sign some paperwork. He buttoned up his apartment and caught a flight as soon as everything was good to go. He knew it had been about a month since Betty had left, and he hoped that she was doing well, but he honestly didn't know what he was going to do once he got there. He never said goodbye, never called. _Does she even want to see me? _He had made reservations for a hotel and looked up the contact information for the Dunne offices, but beyond that he didn't have much of a plan. Nobody but his mother knew where he was going.

He settled in to the hotel and ordered some dinner while he unpacked. If he was going to truly make a go of this, he wanted to get comfortable. This was a chance to start over, to figure out what he really wanted to do. He wasn't sure where to start, but he wasn't necessarily in a hurry. What he was in a hurry about was seeing Betty. She was his primary focus. He kept having waves of nerves rush over him. He was a grown man, but this was actually a bit scary. What if she really didn't want to see him? What if he had done all of this, gave up everything, flown to London, just to have her tell him she never wants to see him again? After she signed her release form, he hadn't spoken to her, at least not in any meaningful way, only work related and quickly at that. He found himself having to avoid her, just the sight of her and knowing what was coming was too much for him. It hurt to see her. Before he realized what he had to do, every day was just that, another day, the sunshine was gone from them. In a weird way, just being in London, knowing they were in the same city again brought some comfort to him. It was almost like feeling the pull of a magnet.

He decided that he should take the evening to rest and come up with a plan of sorts, which essentially consisted of one thing to do. He had to call Dunne and see if he could speak to her. When he awoke the next morning, he showered and put on a button up shirt, some jeans, and some casual loafers. He realized that it was still quite cold out and grabbed his long coat before leaving the room to head down to the lobby. He asked the concierge to order a car for him for the day, unsure where he would be needing to go, and when the driver asked him where he would like to go he requested to be taken to the nearest café. When they arrived at a little place called Lawson's he hopped out to talk to the driver for a moment apologizing for not knowing the plan for the day and tipped him extra for his trouble. When he turned around his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't believe his luck. He leaned against the car, watching in awe as Betty walked down the street, coffee in hand, talking on the phone to someone. She was already halfway down to the corner when he had noticed her. He knew it was her, the brightly colored coat matching her perfectly, her hair shining in the morning light, and her laughter ringing out like bells after her. He watched as he saw her turn the corner, and smiled to himself. He wondered if he should follow her, but when his stomach rumbled he knew he needed to eat first. He would follow his original plan and call her office.

He stepped into the café and waited in line, looking around the room and smiling because this place suited her perfectly. It was dimly lit so it was calming, and creatives of all kinds were strewn about the room, working away at their laptops fueled by the caffeine. It had a distinct aroma of coffee, freshly baked bread, and old books. He could see why she liked it. Anybody would, but when he stepped up to the counter and saw the middle aged woman with a name tag reading "Abigail" he couldn't help but smile because she exuded the same kind of loving and excited energy that Betty always did. When she asked him what he would like in a heavy Scottish accent it all made sense to him. She reminded him of Christina and he knew that Betty must like her too because of that. When she caught his American accent she smirked at him, and he wasn't sure how to take that.

"So, you're American then?"

"Uh, yeah. Yes I am. What gave me away?" he laughed, finding it odd to be the odd one out.

"Where are you from love?"

"New York."

"Oh yeah? And what brings you to London then?"

"I'm hoping to meet up with a friend. She recently moved here so I wanted to surprise her by coming to visit." He tried to keep things vague, but he also knew there was a high chance this woman knew Betty, it was the best chance he had so he hoped he added just enough detail to drop a hint.

"Really now? I've just recently met a young American woman who moved here not too long ago."

"Yeah? How's she liking London so far?"

"She seems to like it, she's always smiling at least, and she loves our coffee. She's been in nearly once a day for a few weeks!"

"Wow, I suppose that's the highest recommendation then." Abi nodded proudly at that.

"I wonder. What's your friend's name?"

"Ummm…" he cleared his throat not sure if he should say. "Betty. Her name's Betty."

"Betty! That's the one! I believe I know your friend. In fact I've just seen her!"

"You do? You did? Well now I have to try the coffee!" He laughed, secretly freaking out. He couldn't believe his luck. The very first coffee shop he entered and it was the one that Betty just so happened to frequent every day? The stars were definitely in his favor.

"Tell her I said hello again!" Abi told him as she handed him his coffee.

"I'll do that." He smiled at her. He didn't want to seem like a stalker by asking for more information. He found a booth and sat down, pulling out his phone.

When a young man answered the phone, his voice shook ever so slightly as he asked for Betty Suarez's office. He was connected and he waited as the phone rang. He rang a few times and he started to wonder if anyone was going to pick up. It rang once more before he heard a beep and a robotic voice began to tell him that Betty Suarez was unavailable and gave him an option of leaving a message. He decided against that, and hung up the phone. He wasn't sure what to say. He finished his coffee and stepped out to find his driver waiting for him. When the man who he learned was named Lionel asked him where to go next he decided he should take the opportunity to buy some new outfits, as he had only packed a couple of days' worth of clothing, and the air was chillier than he had expected it to be. Plus it would give him time to come up with what he should do. After shopping around, he told Lionel to take him back to the hotel to drop off his purchases, but that he would be right back down. He decided that a drive around London to get himself acquainted with some of the sights and to get a general layout in his mind again of where things were would be good for him. A couple of hours passed and he decided to give Lionel the chance of a break, so told him to drop him off near Trafalgar Square and get some lunch. He would call him when he needed to be picked up again.

He started walking around the fountain, lost in thought, deciding if he should try calling again when he looked up and saw it again. That brightly colored coat was walking right towards him. She was on her phone, smiling, seeming happy, and he moved before he knew what he was doing. He couldn't help it. She was here, right in front of him, walking in his direction. He stepped directly in her path… "Betty?"

* * *

Daniel paced the floors of his hotel room. He was excited, but every time he got excited his stomach would flip and he felt like he might need to sit down a moment. How was it possible that someone could make you feel this much? Just seeing her, having her smile at him, was enough. Even if the night went horribly he knew that she didn't hate him. When she joked back with him he knew he couldn't pass up the opportunity. He had to see her again, and soon, so he asked to take her to dinner. She said she'd love that. She was glad he was here. She said it herself. He felt like he was on a high. So why was he this nervous? _Calm down, Daniel. You can do this._ He didn't know what tonight would bring, and he certainly didn't want to pressure her into anything, but he couldn't help the thought that he would be taking Betty to dinner tonight meant much more to him than just old friends catching up. For him, this was about seeing her, really seeing her, and trying to decide if everything he had been thinking and feeling was true. Was his mom right? Was he in love with her? He had to figure it out. He had to see her again.

He nervously began to tie a tie around his neck, but couldn't get his hands to stop shaking, so gave up entirely with a loud sigh, and unbuttoned the top couple of buttons and inspected his outfit in the mirror. He realized it actually looked better that way, and brushed his hands across any wrinkles straightening them out. He had always taken great care and pride in his appearance, but this was different. He wanted to look good, but not just for him, he wanted to look nice for her. He grinned thinking he had at least accomplished that.

His phone lit up telling him he had just received a text and he couldn't help the genuinely broad smile that appeared when he saw that it was Betty telling him she was on the way.

**Okay great! See you soon! :) **He replied excitedly, and jumped up to grab his coat and his new scarf. He couldn't try to stay still knowing she was on the way so he would wait in the lobby. He practically ran to the elevator, feeling years younger at just the thought that she would be on here any minute. When he reached the lobby he burst out of the elevator and tried to contain himself. He waited by the doors, pacing, she said she would be here in about ten minutes. He counted them down until there were just a couple minutes left and decided he would wait on the street. When he stepped out under the awning he looked back and forth not knowing which direction she would be coming from. Finally a bright pink coat caught his attention as he saw her walking down the sidewalk as the sunset glow bounced off the glass on the buildings above. He started waving to grab her attention and couldn't believe how fast his heart was racing at the sight of her walking towards him again. When she got close enough he called out to her.

Daniel didn't care what happened tonight, so long as he knew they were at least still friends because even just the sight of her smile brightened him more than anything he had ever experienced before. He had to know that they could at least be friends and everything would be okay. He had to tell her how sorry he was. This night was now or never for him, for them, for their friendship. He was going to make every moment count, but when she finally reached him he suddenly felt like a teenager again seeing his crush. He almost felt tongue tied. This might not be as easy as he hoped…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

They arrived at the restaurant quickly where their table is waiting for them. The hostess offered to take their coats. Daniel couldn't help but to immediately reach over and help Betty take hers off, and while neither would say it, the brush of his fingertips on her neck and shoulders as he pulled the coat down caused a bit of a jolt between the two, and the quickly shared soft but questioning look was not lost on the hostess as she smiled to herself as she checked their coats, then lead the newly fidgeting couple towards their table. She took them towards a half table booth combo in the back corner, the last available window seat. The booth side wrapped along the backing brick wall as more tables lined the wall leading towards a bar, while larger tables filled the dining area where a stage was set up opposite on the other side of the bar. It even provided space where the center tables could be removed to open up space for a dance floor in the evenings.

Tonight a small jazz quartet was playing, and the room as a whole was inviting and relaxing. It seemed perfect for almost any occasion, and even offered a more family friendly section and atmosphere during the day, but at night it turned into a more adult catered restaurant, easily transferred to a romantic setting, or for business dinners alike. Betty had never been here in the evening before and didn't realize how much the place transformed for its dinner service. She decided to not let it bother her. She'd eaten plenty of meals in a similar type of venue for meetings and meet ups with friends, why would it be any different with Daniel?

Daniel found himself sincerely impressed by the venue and could easily tell why Betty had recommended it, and it gave him something else to focus on instead of her but failed miserably as he watched her following politely behind the hostess.

"Daniel! Come on!" Betty appeared by his side and tugged his arm as he had stopped at the top of the stairs that led down into the main dining room, following along as they walked to their table. Daniel would have pulled her chair out for her but she kept moving towards the booth seat, and he simply pulled the chair out for himself before smirking at her as she settled herself in and set her purse on the seat beside her just beneath the window. The hostess informed them that their server would be with them shortly. Daniel thought he saw the hostess smirking as she headed back to her post, but shook it off.

They remained silent as they settled in and were greeted by their server with menus. Daniel was surprised when Betty ordered wine for the both of them, usually she let him choose the wine. He was impressed. They were given breadsticks and he couldn't help but to fidget with them as started to nervously much on a few pieces and Betty seemed to be following suit. Daniel was the first to break the silence by clearing his throat, this time fidgeting with the salt and pepper shakers. Betty smiled at him trying to be encouraging, but she had to admit she was more nervous in this moment than she had ever been around Daniel before. She couldn't figure it out, what was so different about this time? Aside from the obvious, she could think of a million reasons that might be the answer, but none seemed to fit the bill.

"Betty… I"

"Here you are miss." The server appeared again with glasses and a bottle and poured a small amount for Betty to try. She swirled it in her glass and sniffed before taking a small sip, and her small smile and subtle nod showed her approval to him so he poured the glasses. He took their orders, Betty sticking to her word and ordering the lasagna, and Daniel chose the same, adding that they would both have starter salads. Betty nodded her agreement. The server left taking their menus with him, and left the two to sip their wine, silence still permeating the air between them.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?"

"It sounded like you were about to say something before the wine came?"

"Oh, yeah… uh…"

"It's okay Daniel, it's just me." She smiled at him, and suddenly he felt a little bit of weight fall off his shoulders at seeing that signature feature of hers. He smiled back genuinely, but he felt very much like a shy teenager. If he hadn't already drank half his glass he wouldn't be entirely sure if the rush of blood to his cheeks was from the alcohol or from her, in fact he still wasn't sure.

"I was just going to ask how you like your new job?" he sat up a little straighter in his seat.

"Oh, um, yeah I really love it. It wasn't easy at first, but I think I've proved myself. I like the people I'm working with, for the most part at least. Things seem to be going well now, and we're working on our first issue. Mr. Dunne seems to trust me, so that helps."

"Betty, that's great! I knew you'd be amazing at this. I always told you that you'd be the boss someday!"

"Thank you Daniel. I mean, like I said at first it wasn't so great. Not too many people were thrilled to be working with this young American novice, but once I was able to show them what I can do they started to come around. Most of the people I work with are young writers like me, but there are so many talented people who have been working with Dunne a lot longer than me, so I had to navigate that. It took a few weeks, but in just a couple months I think we'll be ready to launch." Betty couldn't control how animated she was becoming at talking about her upcoming projects, and Daniel was content to listen to her even as she talked through their salad course. He was relaxing more and more, if he dared he would even say it was suddenly starting to feel like old times again. Their main course arrived and she took a break to start eating her meal. He took the opportunity to try it for himself and once he took that first bite his eyes went wide as he stared back and forth between his plate and Betty. A smile formed on her lips as she saw the look on his face. It was absolutely delicious and she knew he liked it, because he suddenly took a large second bite and practically moaned at how good it tasted.

"Good choice?" she asked gently.

"Oh my god Betty, this is amazing. I never knew lasagna was this good."

"You mean you've never had lasagna before?"

"Not that I can remember, no."

"Oh that's right, I forgot I was talking to the guy who actually likes to eat snails." She made a disgusted face and Daniel nearly choked as he began laughing at her expression. She couldn't help but laugh along with him. She was feeling much more relaxed now. This was starting to feel a lot better, like them again.

"So, aside from work, how do you like London?" he asked as they calmed down from their burst of laughter. They didn't notice the wait staff watching them from afar, smiling as they saw the couple relax and open up before their boss came by to break it up and send them back to work.

"I haven't actually had much of a chance to enjoy it. I mean I do get to walk by some really great sites but I'm always on my way to and from meetings, I've only really spent time getting my apartment set up and doing some shopping here and there."

"You mean you're just now getting an apartment?"

"Oh yeah, no it's fine. It wasn't ready like they said it would be when I first got here so I spent a couple weeks in the hotel while they finished it up, but it's good now, except for some of the boxes I'm still unpacking." She smiled as she took another bite.

"That's great. Do you like it?"

"Yeah! I mean it's a different type of living than New York, and by that I mean there's a washing machine in my kitchen, but other than that it's just an average place. It suits me though and I got them to paint the walls yellow so it feels more like home."

"Wow. I'm happy for you. It sounds like things are starting to come together for you."

"They are. I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be right now. I miss everyone, but this is something I've always wanted. I couldn't pass it up." She looked at him, searching his eyes for something. He stared back seeing the uneasiness in her features.

"Betty…" Daniel reached over the table and squeezed her hand, "I know you couldn't. I owe you a real apology. I should have never made it so hard for you to leave. I should have signed the paper right away, I definitely shouldn't have burned it. Once I realized how stupid I was being, I knew I had to let you go. I would never stop you from following your dreams, I hope you know that. I am so proud of you, Betty. I'm truly happy for you. I'm sorry I wasn't a better friend. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. I'm sorry Betty."

Betty tried to hold back her tears. She didn't know how much she needed to hear those words until she had heard them. She had begun this new life intent on forgetting about New York and Mode and focus on the future, but leaving was the hardest thing she ever had to do, and for reasons still unbeknownst to her not being able to say goodbye to Daniel was the hardest part of all. Maybe it was the unresolved way they left things, or maybe there was more at work here, but she couldn't go there. For now she was just happy that her friend was here, in London, with her. She would focus on the moment. She rested her free hand on top of his that was still holding hers.

"I know Daniel. I know. I'm sorry too. I should have talked to you about it, but it all happened so fast. I just didn't want to have to say goodbye yet. I couldn't face that, so I tried to keep it a secret. That morning was the first time I told anyone at Mode, and it spread like wildfire before I could come to you. It's not an excuse, but I really did want to talk to you first. I just didn't want anything to change between us. You're my best friend."

"You're mine too, and I'm here now. That's all that matters for now right?" He smiled at her, leaning down to catch her gaze and they seemed to have an unspoken conversation, both feeling the other forgive them and understanding their meanings without having to say a word. He didn't want to admit how much holding her hands was making his heart flutter, but even he knew that telling her about his newfound feelings would be too much too fast. He needed to earn her trust back first. The first step of that would be exactly what he said, being there in London with her. It would have to be enough for now. They were still on shaky ground in a lot of ways. Just being friends again would be enough if meant that Betty could still be in his life, and if she would have him, let him back into hers. She squeezed his hands again and smiled at him.

"Yes." They let their hands linger for a few moments just reassuring each other before returning to their meals.

* * *

**Short chapter I know. I'm so sorry for the delay, but I needed to take some time to take care of family business and get my head back on straight. I've just had a birthday recently and it threw me for a loop, your classic "another year gone" existential crisis sort of thing. Anyway, I'm going to try to keep writing more and continue this story for all you lovely readers out there. I'm not sure how close I will be keeping everything to my original story, but I am going to slow some parts down in order to achieve my writing goals better and really focus on building the story and characters and hopefully have less mistakes. So please, leave a review, let me know your thoughts, and feel free to send ideas or requests for things you may like to see as this story progresses. Much love! xXxXx**


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